Explore Everyday Health

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is that time of year again, the time when those who suffer from Crohn’s and other digestive diseases must remain strong in the face of an abundance of delicious and wonderful foods. This is my favorite time of year because of the cool weather, the wonderful colors on the trees, and the chance to spend time with family and friends. It is also the hardest time of the year for me with my Crohn’s. The falls in Houston are usually pretty damp and we get a lot of mold and fungus this time of year. I am highly allergic to mold and fungus so I usually end up with a sinus infection or asthma trouble around Halloween or Thanksgiving. This year I have a double whammy with a urinary tract infection and a sinus infection. I have been on antibiotics, but they are making me really sick — very bad nausea and diarrhea. Any infection or virus that I get weakens me and usually makes my Crohn’s flare up a bit. It is hard to tell right now if my Crohn’s is flaring or if it is just the antibiotics, all I know is that I have been pretty miserable this week. Hopefully, I will adjust soon and be able to enjoy Thanksgiving.

We are leaving this afternoon to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with my family. I was talking to my sister on the phone last night and she asked me what foods I wanted to have while I was there. She is going to pick a few things up before we arrive so we could rest tonight instead of grocery shopping. I have become so picky with what I eat, and I only buy organic milk and eggs, which are not cheap.

I look forward to Thanksgiving, not because of the meal but because of the time with family. Usually I can’t eat too many things and never get full like everyone else. This year, I will probably eat even less since the antibiotics are wrecking havoc on my system. I also never look forward to all of the holiday party’s that happen during this time of year. Usually I am already overloaded at the end of the year with work and my health, not to mention Christmas shopping, that I just don’t want to go to any holiday functions.

I know that there will be a lot of food this holiday that you will want to eat, but please do try to stick to your diet as much as you can. If you are feeling really healthy and think that you can rebound quickly, then go ahead and have a small samplings of something you have been wanting to eat, but is on your prohibited list. It is really a judgment call, but please be conservative and don’t overdo it. Enjoy your family and your friends and remember that Thanksgiving is not just about the food, it is about giving thanks and enjoying one another. I am very thankful for this blog and all the wonderful people I have met on here. I wish you much health and happiness!

Get the latest health updates

Thanks for signing up!

Oops!

A system error was encountered. Please try again later.

Follow us on your favorite social network!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly R

Kelly is a mechanical engineer working in Houston,Texas where she lives with her husband and daughter. She has had Crohn's disease for more than half her life. She was diagnosed right after her freshman year in...read more

SEARCH ALL COLUMNS

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

Advertising Notice

This Site and third parties who place advertisements on this Site may collect and use information about
your visits to this Site and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of
interest to you. If you would like to obtain more information about these advertising practices and to make
choices about online behavioral advertising, please click here.